DRC: schools face many challenges in this new year
Lessons in a class at a school in Kinshasa, DRC (illustrative image) AFP - ARSENE MPIANA
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Students returned to school on Monday in the DRC.
This new school year was placed under the sign of the consolidation of free primary education, a flagship program of Félix Tshisekedi and one of the priorities of the government.
According to the Prime Minister, this policy has enabled more than 4 million students to enter or re-enter the school circuit.
This year again, the challenges remain significant.
How to support these new students when the infrastructure does not follow?
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With our correspondent in Kinshasa,
Patient Ligodi
First day of class at Sainte Anne primary school, in the town of Gombe.
Rebecca is reassured: the names of her four children are included on the final list of registered students.
However, like many parents, Rebecca also wondered about the seating capacity of the classrooms.
“
We were worried.
Now the manager has reassured us.
He said he will take into account the number of students in the room.
»
Jackson Luyilisa Nyanga is the principal of Sainte Anne Primary School.
He experienced tense discussions with parents whose children cannot be registered for lack of places.
“
We have terrible pressure from parents.
They believe that everyone should benefit from free education.
Unfortunately, the school cannot accommodate all these students.
This is our difficulty.
»
Some classes have increased from 50 to 60 students.
So that this over-staffing does not reduce the quality of education, school teachers and mistresses have had to adapt.
“
Before the start of the school year, the teachers had taken the training on class management.
What methods to use when you have a class of more than 50
students
?
For example, teaching by group methods so that everyone participates in each didactic sequence.
»
According to the authorities, this year, nearly 31 million students are expected in the classrooms.
The government has launched a so-called development project for 145 territories in the country.
This program also includes the construction of new schools component.
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